September 11 Retrospective (From my LaFollette Press Article)
Sept. 11, 2001, started out as any other day to me. I woke up, got ready, watched the Today Show, and went to the high school. It was an average morning, until the bell rang to go to second period. I was at my locker when I had heard that a plane had crashed in to the World Trade Center. I thought it was some kind of joke.

I went in to my second period and heard the news from Mr. Faulkner. The towers had fallen, the Pentagon was hit and that one plane had crashed into a field in Pennsylvania. It didn't sink in because I thought that it was some kind of freak accident or one really sick joke. We continued as usual. I didn't grasp that this was an attack until the third class of the day. We listened to the radio in Mrs. Ayers room and listened about how celebrations were going on in Palestine and the rest of the Middle East.

It didn't seem real. I had just seen the towers back in May 2001 when I went to New York City; it was unbelievable the twins were slain. The national security was breached and the country was bruised. It was a complete shock to me and the rest of the nation. The nation as a whole stopped, we looked and realized that we too are vulnerable to attack. We all prayed, we looked at each other and realized we are one, we are all American. Even the politicians in Washington, Democrat and Republican, stopped their grumblings and mourned with a stunned nation.

We are now a stronger and wiser nation. Life is about what it was again before Sept. 11, 2001. We again are not taking the time to stop and look and enjoy life. Things can change in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye and while we have time to live, embrace the differences, look at it from the other person's perspective, and have fun. Also, enjoy your freedom -- it comes at a very high price.

Rant: Loose Lips
Not so long ago there was a saying, loose lips sink ships. Have people forgotten what that means. It is evident that we want to attack Iraq, but should we be telling every strategy. Intelligence gathering for the enemy is not hard anymore, just flip on CNN. The politicians in Washington are leaking vital information to whoever will listen. Where is the eliment of surprise? These loose lips are going to give whoever, we go after, the advantage.
Also, these news networks please hush about where terrorists can attack. You might be giving them ideas. We want to hinder these minds, but instead we are giving them Miracle Grow. Just keep this in mind, when you hear something like this: On the corner of 6th and main is a Shell Gas Station. This station has a security guard but he sleeps. You could easily rob the clerk, then go outside and drop a cigar that has been lit in the garbage can by pump six. It will go straight to the underground tank, thereby blowing up the Shell Station and putting the nation under a grip of fear.... See what I mean!!!